Cloth Diapering Decoded: Types of cloth diapers.
If you are a new momma interested in cloth diapering your baby but are totally baffled by the various types of cloth diapers then you have come to just the right place. Here we decode the different types of cloth diapers so that you can choose the ones that suit your baby the best. Let’s first understand what a cloth diaper is. A Cloth diaper or CD is essentially a diaper made of cloth and a waterproof layer that provides a dry feel to the baby and can be left on the baby’s bum anywhere between 2 hours to 12 hours based on the type of cloth diaper and its capacity to absorb pee. There are many types of cloth diapers
- Pocket Diapers: A pocket diaper is a diaper that is made by stitching a layer of cloth and a waterproof outer layer together in such a way that there is a pocket between the two layers. This pocket is used to insert soakers and boosters that give the diapers their absorbency. When a pocket diaper gets soiled, the whole diaper (diaper shell and the insert) needs to be washed before the next use. Shop Pocket diapers here:
- All in Ones: All in one diapers are ready to wear diapers in which the inner layer of the diaper has many layers stitched into it to absorb the pee. This diaper can directly go on the baby’s bum without any extra steps to put it on. There is no pocket or insert in such a diaper. Shop All in one diapers here.
- All in Twos: All in two diapers are similar to pocket diapers but the inserts in this case are directly touching the baby’s bum. The inserts are mostly stitched at both ends of the diaper in flap style. Shop all in twos diapers here.
- Cover Diapers: A cover diaper is just a waterproof layer with snaps. They are used to provide a waterproof layer on flats or prefolds. Cover diapers are economical as they can be reused after wiping it down well. However, if the baby has pooped in a cover diaper, its best to put the whole diaper in for a wash. Shop cover diapers here.
- One Size Diapers: One size diapers are diapers that fit babies that are 3months to 3 years old. They are one size but have snap buttons to size the diaper based on baby’s weight and build. These can be pocket diapers, All in ones, all in twos and cover diapers.
- New born Diapers: New born diapers are meant for babies up to 3 months of age or up to 5 to 7 kg of weight. Shop new born diapers here. These can be pocket diapers, All in ones, all in twos and cover diapers.
- Flats: Flats are square pieces of cloth that are folded in various ways to put on the baby’s bottom. These are one of the most common type of cloth diapering babies in India since centuries. The flats are often but not always made of muslin. You can use a cover diaper over flats to make it waterproof from the outside. Flats can be customized based on the gender and peeing patterns of the baby. There are many ways to fold flats and this can be a time taking process. They are not dry feel on the inside.
- Prefolds: Prefolds are rectangular pieces of cloth stitched together with adjusted absorbency levels in the wet zone. They can be dry feel also.
- Fitteds: Fitted diapers are like all in one diapers with built in absorbency but without a waterproof layer on the outside. They have snaps on the outside to size the diaper for the baby.
We sincerely hope that you found the answers to your questions here and that we were able to help you decide what type of cloth diaper you would like to buy for your baby. For any questions, please contact us on our customer care number or email us at contactcuddlecare@gmail.com.
Prima
Wonder Pocket
Snugger
Q. How are cloth diapers different from the home made langotis we have been using since years?
The home made langotis that we have used in the past are generally made of muslin squares, old sarees or dhotis. All of these options do not hold even one pee and end up wetting the baby’s clothes and the bed. They are not stay dry and will wake the baby when they pee in their sleep. Cloth diapers are stay dry from inside and waterproof from the outside which means that even when the baby pees, he will not feel the wetness, nor will the pee leak onto the baby’s clothes and the bed.
Cloth diapers are a boon because they let the baby and the mother catch the much needed sleep – without interruptions and without harming the baby’s delicate skin.
Q. From what age can we use these diapers on our baby?
You can use our cloth diapers from the day your baby is born. We have diapers in new born size that are safe for even a day old baby.
Q. Is it harmful for my baby?
No. Cuddlecare Cloth Diapers are 100 percent made of cloth that are breathable and extremely safe for your baby.
Q. How do I know when it is time to change the diaper?
The general rule of thumb is to change the baby’s diaper every 2-3 hours wen baby is awake. Babies pee more when awake so 2-3 hours is a good time. However, if you feel that baby might have pooped in the diaper, please change the diaper immediately.
How long a diaper can stay on the bum also depends on the type of diaper/insert you are using. Night time diapers can be left on the bum for longer.
Q. What do I do if I find the diaper leaking?
If you find the diaper leaking, please check the fit of the diaper. A diaper that is either too tight or too loose tends to leak. If the fit seems to be fine, please go through the wash routine carefully. The reason for leaking diapers is generally either of the above two reasons.
Q. Do you have sizes in them? How do I understand which size will we need?
Yes, we have two sizes in the diapers.
New Born size which recommended till the age of 5 months or up to 8 kgs of weight
One size Diapers recommended above the age of 3 months or above 5 kgs of weight.
Q. How many diapers do I need?
The size of your diaper stash depends on many factors. However, we feel that for for new-born stage approximately 8 diapers should be comfortable and for one size stage 14-16 diapers should work for most average wetting babies.
Q. How many times can I reuse each diaper?
Our cloth diapers can be re-used up to 300 times
Q. Can I use rash cream with cloth diapers?
Please avoid using rash creams with cloth diapers as they can hamper the absorbency of the diaper. We recommend the use of either coconut oil or olive oil for creating a barrier on the baby’s skin.
Q. How are they better than disposables?
Cuddlecare cloth diapers are a better choice for your baby for the following reasons:
Does not contain chemicals like disposable diapers which are harmful for your baby. Disposable diapers are made of plastic and take more than 500 years to decompose. Because cloth diapers are reusable, they are also more economical than disposables. If maintained well, cloth diapers can be used for more than one child. Yay! You can buy, sell, trade used cloth diapers. Cloth Diapers do not cause diaper rash.*
Q. I do not have a washing machine, can I still use cloth diapers?
Yes, our cloth diapers can easily be washed by hand. Having a washing machine is not a pre-requisite for using cloth diapers.
Q. How do I wash the diapers?
Please click HERE to understand the complete wash routine for Cuddlecare Cloth Diapers.
Q. What do I do if I find a defect in the diaper I ordered?
In a rare occasion that should you find a manufacturing defect in the diaper you ordered which hampers the performance of the diaper, please connect with us on 8889345222 Or via email contactcuddlecare@gmail.com within 24 hours of having received the product. We will do our best to replace the damaged product with a fresh new one for you at the earliest. Minor aesthetic variations can appear as all products are made by hand but rest assured that cosmetic differences will not affect the performance of the diaper.
Q. Can I return or exchange a sale item?
No, sale items cannot be returned or exchanged.
Q. The print I like is out of stock, what do I do?
Please register with us so you get re-stocking information regularly. We shall inform you when the said print is expected back in stock.
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Getting the right fit is the key to a well performing diaper. Lets go through the steps in achieving the best fit for your Cuddle care cloth diaper.
- Snap the buttons together based on baby’s age and weight as shown in the pic. This is the height adjustment of the diaper. It is important to get this right so that when the baby pees, the pee doesn’t leak from the side.
- After sizing the diaper shell, place the insert inside the pocket of the diaper. Make sure that the insert is placed properly and is lying flat inside the pocket and not bunching up somewhere.
- Now place the diaper under the baby’s bum so that the wings of the diaper are in line with the baby’s belly button.
- Now, fold and bring the lower part of the diaper between the baby’s legs and then snap the diaper close by bringing in the flaps of the diaper from both sides of the body.
- Once, the diaper is snapped close, check the fitting by running 1 finger inside the diaper all around the baby’s waist.
- Now, run one finger in the leg elastics to check if it is too tight or too loose. There should be no gap between the leg elastic and the baby’s thigh joint.
- Now tuck the leg elastics in so that the elastics lie on the thigh joint and NOT on the baby’s thigh.
- Lastly tuck all the extra fabric upwards and then sideways between the front snaps.
The diaper should now have a clean look and must fit well and look good on the baby without any leaks.
For Washing Machine
- Once you take off the diaper, remove the inserts from pockets, agitate and rinse the diaper and inserts with plain water and store in dry pail. If it has been pooped in, just knock off the poop using a hand shower, remove the insert and then store in a dry pail till it’s time for laundry.
- At the time of washing, rinse all the diapers and inserts together in the washing machine by running a rinse and spin cycle with just plain water, no detergent. Avoid using hot water at this time.
- After that add the appropriate amount of detergent and run a full wash cycle at the temperature of 30-40°C. (Wash, rinse and spin).
- Line dry in the sun.
Hand Wash:
- Once you take off the diaper, remove the inserts from pockets, agitate and rinse the diaper and inserts with plain water and store in a dry pail. If it has been pooped in, just knock off the poop using a hand shower, remove the insert and then store in a dry pail till it’s time for laundry.
- At the time of washing, rinse all diapers and inserts with plain water and soak them for 10-20 minutes using a detergent of your choice.
- Scrub the diapers and inserts against themselves to remove pee and poo stains. Avoid scrubbing the diaper with a laundry brush.
- For persistent stains you can make a little paste with your detergent and apply on the stain. Leave for 10-20 minutes and then wash as usual.
- After scrubbing, rinse the diapers and inserts well with plain water till the water dripping from the diapers is no longer soapy. Proper rinsing is very important as detergent build up can affect the performance of the diapers and the inserts.
- Squeeze out excess water and line dry in the sun.
- Do try to give your diapers and baby clothes as much sunshine as possible as it is an excellent disinfectant and magical at removing stains.
Recommended detergents for better care of Cloth Diaper and Inserts:
For best results, choose a detergent that is devoid of any additives, enzymes, softeners and bleaching agents, as these can hamper the absorbency of diapers and inserts. We recommend Rustic Art Little Laundry, Tide Plus, Surf Excel Original (without fragrance and bleach).
Please do not use anti septic liquids like Dettol or fabric softeners for washing or prepping your cloth diapers.
Please give your diapers and inserts a hot water wash once every month to remove any detergent build up. This will keep your diapers performing well.